Defiance
by NorthernShadows
Summary: We all know Desmond Miles, along with the Assassins that make up his blood line. But what else made Desmond the man he was? More importantly, who else? It would be nice to know a little bit more about his past. Pre-game. DesmondxOC
1. Prologue

**PROLOGUE**

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><p>"Don't worry, kid. We'll get a drink right after I get off work-"<p>

A stifled giggle filtered through the speaker.

_"You used-"_ Laughter came full force through the mobile phone. Its volume made the man holding the black device cringe and put it a good distance away from his ear, though he grinned slightly as he waited for the sound to subside to softer tone. The girl on the other end of the line could really be a child at times.

_"You _**_do _**_know that I'm not a __kid any more, right?"_

"And you weren't one, even when we met." The man's voice overlapped the one coming from his phone. Another short guffaw came.

_"I've repeated that line too many times... Anyway..."_ A sigh came through the speakers before the voice continued._ "You know I've been waiting all week for this. Roy already agreed- Hey! -"_There was a shuffle before a different voice drawled through.

_"You know, that dick is insecure about you."_ A shrill, indignant yell echoed in the background._  
><em>

It was the man's turn to let out a short laugh. "I know..." He shook his head. "The guy's an ass. But don't tell Al I said that."

_" Sure thing."_There was a moment of silence before the first voice came back, sounding slightly annoyed.

_"Sorry about Elliot. He's being a bitch again."_

The man shouldered through the side door of his workplace, while the two on the other end argued for a while. The noises of the city were replaced by the thrum of music that reverberated through the walls of the back room he now stood in.

He waited for a moment more before speaking, "Come on, the guy looks out for you when I can't. You should appreciate him more."

Looking to the side as he brushed some dirt off his jacket, he cracked open the door that lead to the sleek counter he worked behind. A new group of people was pouring in through the entrance of the nightclub. Friday nights really were one of the busiest.

His time was limited.

"Look, I'll see you in a few hours." He held the phone between his cheek and shoulder now as he pushed up his sleeves. "Then you can finally have your first Shirley Templar." He smiled at the thought.

The man could almost imagine the wide grin on his friend's face when she said, _"I'll hold you to that!"_

He could barely hear her over the music blaring loudly through the club. His fellow bartender looked pointedly at his phone, subtly gesticulating to several patrons that were now taking seats at the bar.

"See you soon, Als." He said distractedly.

_"I'll see you then. Take care, Des."_

The phone was in Desmond's pocket before he heard the goodbye.

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><p><strong>AN: Okay, let's see how this goes over, shall we? Reposting this story for reasons.**

Word Count (excluding ANs): 480 words


	2. Chapter 1: Cliche

**A/N: Here's the next chapter for you. Hopefully it gives a little more perspective on things.**

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 1: Cliche<strong>

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><p>Word Count: 2,354<p>

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><p>It had been years ago when we first met. When I think about it now, it had been pretty cliche.<p>

Back then, he'd been a new face in the town I was staying at. And naturally, I'd been curious.

I watched him quietly then, with a wallet he'd stolen himself, from some bimbo who had been too busy eyeing up a waiter two tables away. Watching in awe as he casually walked away from the small, crowded cafe, his prize tucked safely in his hoodie. From what I could tell, he had some skill with what he did. He was stealthy and sneaky as a fox- but on edge. He'd probably been at this only a few months or so.

I'd decided that the guy'd make a good... erm... "partner" given my situation. It'd been a while since I'd last tried to look for one. The last two didn't exactly pan out well, one turning out to be an A-class jerk, and the one after that... well... That was a trauma I didn't want to repeat...

I would have tried to keep flying solo, but one thing made it apparent that I _needed_ a companion.

Adjusting the backpack on my shoulders, and pulling my hair from its short ponytail, I followed him. From a good distance, of course. I'd been keeping tabs on him for a few days already. I'd see him around town during the day. I could follow him around then, but when it got dark, he'd disappear. Trying to catch him on one of his more regular moments, when he was eating, or just walking around town, when his guard was lowered- that was _nonexistent_. He was too jumpy, and suspicious of _everyone_ around him. So I had to think of a different approach.

If he was like me when I started out, he'd probably stay somewhere different every night, but from my experience here, there were few places people like us could stay. So I'd come to the conclusion that he found one solid hideaway, just like I did after a while. There was a better chance of a face to face meeting there. So I tried to find it.

I tailed him at first, trying to find clues to narrow down my search... He was smart though. He would always take a different route to his hideout, passing through back alleys, taking long, roundabout paths. He was obviously trying to avoid somebody, and his anxiety wasn't making anything any easier.

It was the third day since I first saw him, and I still couldn't find the place. Considering the smallish size of the town, I should have found it by now. I should've been able to talk to him already. The guy must've _really_ hated whoever he was running away from.

So here I was again, my eyes were subtly trained on my quarry's back. Hopefully, I would be able to tail him properly this time.

I risked a glance at the lady he'd snagged the wallet from as I passed the cafe. She was chatting up the waiter she'd been eyeing, who was at her table now. One hand was blindly reaching for her open purse. It wouldn't be long before she noticed.

And I wasn't wrong.

The cafe was a few paces behind me when I heard her start panicking. Head bowed slightly, I turned my gaze to my worn sneakers and to the cracks in the pavement. The scene she was making now made me speed up a bit, doing my best to put some distance between myself and the shop. I _did not_ want to be within the hysteric bitch's range if she started pointing a finger.

It seemed like the same thought had passed through my target's head, because when I turned to look for him again, he was much further from me than I would have liked. I had to jog slightly to catch up to him.

As I closed the distance between us, what happened next almost made me stop in my tracks. He looked back over his shoulder and his dark eyes met mine for a split second. I almost froze.

_Almost. _

I had been at this _too_ long to freeze though- I'd learnt a long time ago that freezing only made things worse for me. So I continued jogging... right past him, and casually walked into an old book store.

The bell above the door tinkled and the man at the counter barely took notice of me as I stopped in front of one of the shelves, looking at the titles. I didn't really read them as I pulled down a random book. The words didn't really mean much, I just kept my head down and pretended to read. I put it back and moved down the aisle, looking at another book. The large glass window to my left was convenient, too.

He would be more alert now, and I had to be more careful. Even if I found the result of his little heist pretty funny, it made things that much harder for me. I paused for a moment, thinking about the look I had seen in his eyes. Did he figure it out? That I was tailing him?

No way. There was just _no way._

If I'd spooked him enough though, and I probably already did a bit, he might actually leave the town sooner rather than later. I couldn't lose him now. Not after I had put so much effort into trying to find him. He at least had to _hear_ my deal before he left.

I had to have been naive then... Having it in my head that he would listen to me so readily. Putting so much hope in one stranger. Life didn't really make me optimistic. And I wasn't. But the past few months had been _brutal_ alone. Honestly... I really just _couldn't _lose the chance he presented.

Soon enough, I spotted my target again. He was on the opposite side of the road now. Time to make my exit. Just as I let the door to the bookshop close behind me, he turned into an alley about a block down. My eyes widened.

_Damn. _

I ran then, like a demon, across the street, and down the sidewalk. I was too concerned about him being out of my sights to slow down. I stopped for a moment, facing the opening to the alley...

_Empty._

I quickly ran down its length, past dumpsters and old boxes, splish-splashing through puddles, and nearly tripping on a stray cat to get to the end. It hissed as I hopped over it and the thing scratched at my shoe. Bursting into the next street, I looked around frantically. He was gone.

_Gone. _

Anger was bubbling up dangerously inside of me. Taking a deep breath, I calmed myself down as best as I could. I couldn't let my emotions get the best of me.

_Just breathe, and keep looking._

When the feeling slowly simmered down enough, I continued my search. Taking a chance, I turned up the street this time, keeping an eye out for his ridiculously white jacket as I walked.

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><p>The sun was hanging low when I finally decided to take a break.<p>

It would start getting dark soon, and several hours had gone by since I'd last seen him. I'd been around town, and even checked out the places I had listed as his possible hideouts.

No luck.

_Damn. Damndamndamn. _

I tugged at my hair, reigning in the scream I wanted to let out. Why was this guy so hard to find?! I ended up kicking an empty soda can in frustration. Next thing I knew, I heard a metallic _thunk_, coupled with an angry yell.

"What the _fuck?! _"

I looked apprehensively in the direction I'd kicked. My leg was still half up when an angry dishwasher stomped in my direction, one hand held over his left eye.

_Oh hell. _

He probably would've just yelled at me, and I would have scampered off, not the least bit sorry, and he would have returned to whatever food joint he had come from. But I did one of the stupidest thing ever.

I kicked his balls when he got too close for my liking.

...

Or I _tried _to.

My little stunt would have been smart, and I could have ran, even _walked _away laughing, but I missed. I _missed._

My sneakers were soon tapping hard and fast against the ground, the dishwasher at my heels. His apron was flapping menacingly around him as he ran after me, spitting curses. He glared, trying to burn holes in my back. One eye red and squinty, and his hand now on his thigh.

I had to give the guy credit. He was fast despite his obvious limp. I ran through most of the town, through alleys and back streets, and through a small, broken window to hide, before I finally got rid of him.

He walked past my hiding spot, his panting breaths covering the sound of my own hard exhales, which I tried to stifle behind a hand.

"Little shit..." He grumbled after looking around a bit, deciding to try looking somewhere else.

It took a while of nervous waiting before I slowly put my hand down, letting the sound of my ragged breaths bounce off the decrepit walls of the building I ended up in. I must have been at the far edge of town.

I leant against the cold brick wall, one hand on my chest. I could feel the frantic beating behind my ribs. I did my best to get a hold of myself as I slowed by breathing. My mind whirled, my shoes squeaked, and I felt the uncomfortable wetness of my socks as I curled and uncurled my toes, the events of the day slowly setting in.

The sun would set in a half an hour or so, and I was too far from my own place, from my supplies. It wouldn't have been the first time I had done a trek in the dark despite the danger- but I was beyond exhausted now. I hadn't eaten since my meager breakfast, and that wouldn't have been a problem, but not with the kind of exertion I put into today. My stomach rumbled painfully.

The chase involving the angry dishwasher had probably brought unwanted attention on me. I'd have to leave now. And _soon_. After staying here for _weeks_ under the radar, I'd have to leave...

I could feel a sting in my hand now. The pain intensifying as the adrenaline in my body ebbed. It looked like I had cut my hand on some broken glass wriggling through that window earlier. I picked at the shards left in the wound, wincing.

Another rumble went through my stomach, so I shrugged my backpack off of my shoulders and dug through my stuff with my unbloodied hand. All I had was a jacket, half a bottle of water, and a swiss army knife, among other things. The lack of any form of food left me feeling angry at the world again.

Sliding down the wall into a sitting position, I noted how the deep cut would leave a scar. That didn't really matter...

I stared at the blood dripping down my fingers, frowning at the drops of water that mixed with the crimson liquid. It took me a moment to register the wetness on my cheeks. A moment more to process the soft, choked sobs that were coming from my mouth.

_Shit. Shit. __**Shit**__. _

I was breaking down.

I couldn't help the emotions that were washing like a wave over me then. Reluctantly, I accepted it and continued to cry quietly. My knees came up to my chin, my head bowing, and my shoulders slumping in defeat. My arms came to wrap around my shins, my hands fisting tightly in the dark material of my pants. I couldn't care less about the stain the blood would leave, no one would notice anyway...

"Wow." A voice cut through my moping. My head instantly shot up and took in the person standing across the room. I scrambled to wipe away any evidence of my tears, putting a serious frown on my face instead.

"Three days, and you finally lose it." I watched the teen in front of me as he walked toward me slowly. I tried to stand shakily, my legs feeling like jello.

"To think I thought you were one of them. You aren't, are you?" He crossed his arms, only a few feet separating us now, a suspicious look in his eye. I cocked my head to the side, not having any idea what the heck he was talking about.

"Nah. They wouldn't have let a pipsqueak like you out of The Farm anyway." He looked down, scoffing lightly at me.

The little bit of anger that I had left made me snap at him.

"I'm not some farm girl!" I said indignantly, trying again in vain to stand up.

My words seemed to amuse him, because he laughed, holding a hand out now.

I hesitantly took a hold of his hand as he helped me to my feet. Squeezing his hand as I stood, I plastered my own grim smile on my face. Pulling him down, or rather pulling myself up, I looked him in the eye. Pale green met deep brown. I should have been jumping for joy at the first sight of his white jacket... but he called me a _pipsqueak_.

"I'm no kid. I'm _thirteen_ years old, so you better stop calling me a pipsqueak." I said firmly.

Technically I was still going to turn twelve in a few months, but telling him that wouldn't exactly help my case.

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><p><strong>AN: It would be nice to know what you guys think of the plot so far. Especially the pace of the story. Let me know with a review. Grazie.**


	3. Chapter 2: Consideration

**A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who read this story, put it on alert and favorites. Special thanks to Pyro, who took the time to review. :)**

**Pyro: Yes, the narrator's a she, but the POV switches from her and Desmond from time to time. I'm glad you like my OC, and that this story has caught your attention. I agree, there are few Pre-game stories about Des, and that's one of the main reasons I made this story. It's gonna be chalk full of my speculations of what he did before Abstergo found him. Thanks again for taking the time to review, I hope to hear more from you in the following chapters. :D  
><strong>

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 2: CONSIDERATION<strong>

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><p>WORD COUNT: 3,217<p>

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><p>"Owwww..." I whined, trying to pull back my hand instinctively.<p>

"Sorry." The teen apologized, but didn't even look up from what he was doing. Crouching in front of me, he had my injured hand in a tight grip to keep me from pulling away whenever I flinched. He sighed when I shifted again. "This would go much faster if you didn't move so much."

Shuffling slightly in his crouched position, he moved to try and get some circulation back in his feet and legs.

Not _my_ fault.

He couldn't take it when he watched me try to patch myself up earlier with my shaky hand. I was pretty much just cutting myself up more with the bits of glass left in the wound.

I nearly kicked him when he suddenly took hold of my bloodied fingers. He didn't hurt me, but he'd caught me off guard. Plus, I was still on edge from my little game of cat and mouse with the dishwasher.

The kick was weak, and I was off balance, but it still would have hit if he didn't block my trajectory with his arm. I ended up going _completely _off balance, and landed back on my butt.

"Hey!" He yelped in surprise. I growled at him like a pissed off cat. He shook his head.

"Look, I'm just trying to help you out." He said, raising his hands. He told me to stop being so stubborn and told me to show him the cut. It took us a bit of a stare down before I finally, _grudgingly_, held out my bloody hand and uncurled my fingers. The red was turning brown, some of the blood had crusted on my palm. He shook his head again, a small frown forming on his mouth. I turned my head, still trying to look defiant.

"It's not _my_ fault if you get a bloodstain on your jacket." I said sourly ,though a large part of me was grateful for the help.

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><p>He'd done a decent job, but I'd convinced him to let me do my own bandaging- that was definitely less delicate. I wound a strip of cloth around my palm and tied it off, pulling one end with my teeth. Clenching and unclenching my fist, I tested the tightness of the makeshift bandage.<p>

"So why'd you follow me around?"

The pain was manageable, I'd had worse. I looked up at him, his head was tilted slightly.

"Any ordinary kid would have given up, or be crying their eyes out with _that_ kind of boo-boo." He smiled, letting out a chuckle at his own choice of wording, and at the face I made.

I looked ready to throw a tantrum.

"_Don't _make baby talk with me." I grumbled darkly, swallowing the childish urge to stick my tongue out at him or stomp my foot in irritation. I didn't want to prove him right.

"Then answer the question." He said simply, crossing his arms and looking at me suspiciously. I could tell that what I said next was important. It was crucial if I wanted him on my side.

In my head, I'd repeated the speech I was going to give him for the past few days, while I'd tailed him. I'd run through the words I would use to convince him _so_ many times. But now... Suddenly my mind was blank.

I sighed a bit in frustration, stuffing my hands in my pockets in embarrassment. If my answer didn't catch his attention now, I had a feeling I wouldn't get another chance. So I took a deep breath and answered honestly.

"I... I need a partner." I stuttered out. The guy furrowed his brows in response, confusion clouding his expression. There was a hint of curiosity there though.

More confident with the first words out, I puffed out my chest and straightened my shoulders, continuing. "I've been on my own for a while. So I consider myself independent." I held my chin up proudly as I said that last word. "I can take care of myself. I _have _taken care of myself. But then..."

I spread my arms out, "Look at me. The rest of the world would disagree..." My shoulders slumped slightly. "In their eyes, I'm still just a... _kid._" I hated the word. I may have been a bit young and lacking in years, but that didn't mean I didn't have experience and street smarts to make up for it.

"I can't help that most people can't look past that. Only people they consider "adults" can do certain things. So I need someone else to... help me out." It was almost _painful_ to admit that. I made sure to lock my eyes onto his. "In exchange I'll help out that someone too. I'd have _their_ back."

The teen stared down at me. He'd stood up some point during my little spiel. His stare was hard, like he was trying to look right through me. He thought it over, sifting through my words thoroughly. Seconds ticked by without him answering, soon turning to a minute. I gulped nervously at his silence, my fingers curling in anticipation.

Suddenly his head snapped up. He paused for a moment before looking out the window. His stance shifted, eyes narrowing at the sight of whatever was outside. Quickly, he sidestepped away from the opening, his eyes flickering to me.

Did the dishwasher come back?

I copied my companion's actions and stuck to the wall next to him. I don't think either of us wanted a confrontation right now. Carefully, I turned and looked through the glass to look outside. I'd give points to the dishwasher for being really persistent if-

_Nope..._

The light was waning, but it was still enough to make out the features of the guy who walked down the road that passed by the abandoned building we were hiding in. The newcomer looked like he was in his mid twenties, with dark eyes that contrasted his light hair. The dark coat he wore helped hide the man's stature, but his simple shirt and jeans accented his lean but well muscled frame. _Definitely_ not anyone I'd seen before.

_'This must be who he's running away from...' _I concluded, considering his reaction, and wondering what my companion's reasons were. What was up with the guy outside? A brother? Probably not... There weren't any similarities between them except maybe their eyes. An old friend-turned-enemy maybe?

I observed the man quietly. He looked relaxed enough, but he was alert as he took in the details of his surroundings. He walked with a grace that few people had- like a cat. This man moved like the guy beside me... Like a predator...

_Wait_...

When I turned to look back at my companion, he wasn't sticking to the wall anymore. He was practically out the door at the other end of the room.

_What the hell?!_

His hood swished behind him as he turned, the white disappearing out of my sight.

I cursed inwardly. I didn't know if I was more_ mad_ at the teen for just running out on me, or more _amazed_ that I didn't even _hear_ him leave my side... I took a few steps after him when a voice cut through the air.

"Desmond!" The man from outside hollered. I guess I wasn't stealthy enough, my shoes scraping the grit on the floor, or my breathing not quiet enough. Either way, I'd caught the man's attention.

"Come on, Desmond. We know you made a rash decision. I can understand if you needed some space... and you've had two weeks already." The man reasoned out as I listened quietly. "It's time to go back."

A few beats of silence passed before I acted. Taking a deep breath, huffing, then turning to the opening of the larger window beside me, I let myself be seen.

"Who the hell's Desmond?" I said loudly.

The man was closer than I thought. He wasn't further down the road anymore, he was now about ten feet from me. He had probably figured out where I had been standing behind the wall. Letting out a sigh when he saw me, he shook his head.

"Sorry. I thought you were someone else." He scratched at the back of his neck, and I decided to take a chance, jumping over the windowsill to meet him. I still put a few feet between us, just in case. There was a reason why the teen I'd been after was running from this guy, and if it was bad, I didn't want to find out.

"What does he look like? Maybe I can help out." I did my best to look childishly concerned. I looked up at the man determinedly, hands on the straps of my backpack. He took a few moments to assess me before he spoke up.

"I'm looking for a guy. He ran away recently. I've been trying find him so I can convince him to come back with me. He just turned sixteen. About 5'10", dark hair and eyes. There are a few people in town who said they saw him a couple of times." Patting his coat pockets, he dug through them and pulled out a small picture. "Here. He's younger in this, though. His dad never really took a lot of pictures." He crouched to my level and held out the small rectangle. The picture had three people in it- a pretty woman, and two boys that looked pretty similar. "This is him." He pointed to the smaller boy. I could definitely see the similarities between the kid in the photo and the guy I had been tailing the past few days.

_So this **is **the guy you're avoiding, huh?... Desmond... _That must be white hood's name. The one who _walked out_ on me without giving me a proper answer.

I made a decision then.

"I think..." I scrunched my brow and looked hard at the picture for a few seconds. "No... I don't _think _I've seen him around before." I looked up, pouting. "I'm really sorry."

"That's alright. He's a sneaky one, so you shouldn't be so hard on yourself, kid." He patted my head, and I did my best to smile at the action despite cringing inwardly.

"So are you his friend? You aren't the other boy in the picture." I stated simply, indicating his blonde hair.

The man stood up straight again, "You could say that." He let out a thin smile. "We used to train together. He was a few... classes below me."

Putting the picture back in his coat pocket, he looked at me, "Anyway... It's getting dark. A little girl like you shouldn't be out here."

"I live close to here, so I'm not really bothered... but you're right." I smiled at the man, one part of me wanting to kick at him for calling me _little_. "My mom might start getting antsy. I'll get going."

"That's a good kid." I bristled again at the word. Luckily, the grimace on my face was hidden as I turned to walk away.

"You sure you're alright walking home alone?" The dude just wouldn't go on his way already... Mentally rolling my eyes, I stopped and whirled around, grinning.

"Yup, I'm sure. 'Sides, my mom would probably freak out more if I got home with a strange man tagging along." I laughed both jokingly, and a bit mockingly when the man's face turned a bit paler at the words. I half turned to leave again, when I stopped, eyes turning to the man who was about to leave as well. "I hope you find your friend soon." I started walking away. "The streets aren't a place for anybody." Turning around a corner, I was out of the man's line of sight before he could say anything else.

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><p><em>Shit...<em>

I should have known that Matt wouldn't have traveled alone. Dad would have sent him after me with at least _one_ partner. Luckily, he got distracted by the kid, so that bought me some time to get as far away as I could before any other Assassins showed up. Too bad Cass spotted me on my way back to the town proper. I guess I shouldn't have been too surprised. Those two made a really good team back when I saw them train. Cass started chasing me when it was obvious that I wasn't gonna go with her willingly. I vaulted over a wall and kept running.

_Dammit!_

She must have contacted Matt, because soon, I saw him running beside her. I cut through almost all the side roads and alleys I could, trying my best to lose them. _No way_ were they taking me back to The Farm. I'd had enough of that place and everything my dad put me through there.

The thought of getting dragged back into the training and being surrounded by all the conspiracy theories pushed me to go faster. I was just lucky that I was just a little bit better at free running than the Assassins after me. But there were still two of them. I soon lost sight of Cass's brown hair, Matt the only one I could spot when I glanced back. Like hell I'd even be stupid to hope that Cass got left behind. She probably thought about going another route to cut me off.

I turned down another alley desperately. I had to avoid boxes and bins, climb over a fence, jump over a few crates, even slide through a gap underneath a stack of old furniture. Hopefully that would sl-

_BAM!_

A weight slammed _hard_ into my ribs, making me lose my footing and stumble sideways through several boxes. I landed painfully on my back, getting the wind knocked out of me. The dim light of the bulb that was in the alley disappeared, and I was suddenly covered in complete blackness.

"Ugh... What the heck..."

I was dazed, with the world spinning, but I was holding myself together enough to know that whoever said that... _wasn't_ me.

I controlled my breathing and listened while I tried to get my head on straight. I could hear footsteps coming closer to where I was... Wherever I was. Stopping so close, I held my breath. The lack of air made me feel dizzy.

"Des- Hey!"

_Hell no..._

_No..._

_Just when I got **free**..._

"Heyyyy..." A small voice groaned out. "I think I saw your guy."

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><p>I think a few minutes passed with me just lying in the dark, waiting for the door to open. Waiting for someone to let me out of this dank, windowless room...<p>

_'And into another...' _I thought bitterly. I wouldn't get out of The Farm a second time. My dad would make sure of that.

I was listening to the drip of water somewhere, when the hinges of the door to the room creaked as it swung open. I put an arm over my eyes dejectedly. I could already imagine the lecture my old man was going to give me when I got back. Man was he going to _grill_ me. He'd probably make sure my training sessions were _hell _for the rest of my life... Like staying isolated from the rest of the world with a bunch of conspiracy nuts wasn't already.

I stayed on the floor. "If you're taking me back, you're going to have to _drag _me back." I said stubbornly.

The sound of footsteps on the ground came closer, until I could sense someone standing over me. I didn't move an inch. Whoever it was took a deep breath and sighed.

"I'm not carrying you, jerk."

That wasn't the voice I was anticipating...

When I moved my arm, it took a few seconds for my eyes to focus properly. The figure standing over me was shadowed, but it was definitely smaller than I expected. I squinted for a few moments before I could make out the features of the person. She stared back at me.

"Sorry I had to crash into you like that. I thought that was the surest way to get you in here." Crouching, so she was closer to my level, she put her hands on her knees. "Did you hit your head?" She asked, somewhat concerned.

I wondered where the two who had been chasing me were. Looking out the door, I checked just in case they were keeping their distance so they could give me a little more time to cool down before they moved in.

But they weren't there...

I felt pretty confused. They'd had me cornered...

I sat up slowly, still feeling a bit dizzy, but managing.

"I guess you're fine..." She mumbled, watching me.

I glanced sideways at the girl beside me warily. "Where are Matt and Cass?" I grounded out.

"You mean Slick and Braids?" She crossed her arms before tilting her head to look back through the door. "Those two are probably looking in the direction I pointed them to." She looked back at me, "I told them you pushed me out of your way, ran up the road, and cut left."

I wasn't sure if I heard her right. "You gave them a false lead?" This kid had me thrown for a loop.

"I guess I'd understand your confusion... You probably thought I was working with them." She sighed. "I can't blame you, though. The timing was pretty coincidental." She shuffled her feet, trying to get comfortable, before giving up and sitting on the ground. "I show up, then the Matt guy shows up looking for you, you bump into your other _"friend",_ and you almost get caught. Even _I _would think something was up." We just observed each other for a while before she shrugged and finally said, "Yeah. I gave them a false lead."

I stared even harder at her, trying to see if she was lying.

"Why are you helping me out?" I had to ask. This kid looked earnest, but I had to sure. It looked like my earlier guess that she was one of the younger Assassin trainees was wrong. "Your little speech earlier... it wasn't made up then..." I muttered to myself. She scoffed, standing up and brushing off her pants.

"I _did _say that I'd have your back, didn't I?" She quipped, holding out a hand expectantly. " I'm not sure how long we have to get out of town, but we still have to drop by my place and grab a few supplies."

I gawked at her, and she seemed to be getting impatient. "Come on." She gestured.

_Hmmm..._

Slowly, I reached for hand, she grinned at that. Wrapping my fingers around her wrist, I pulled myself up.

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><p><strong>AN: Thoughts? It'd be nice to know what you think of this chapter in a review. Till next time. Grazie.**

**((I've also been thinking about doing a chapter as a sort of Christmas Special for this story. Any prompts or suggestions?))**

**-NS**


	4. Chapter 3: Leaving

**A/N: Happy Holidays, everybody! I guess you can consider this a bit of a holiday special. It isn't really festive, but there is a bit of fluff.**

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><p><strong>Pyro: I'm glad you like my jabs at stereotypes. XD And you're right Des and the kid (haha) complement each other, I did my best to be able to make their personalities do that. Happy I was able to accomplish that goal. Hope you enjoy this chapter too. :)<strong>

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 3: LEAVING<strong>

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><p>WORD COUNT: 2, 682<p>

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><p>We walked in silence for a while, before she unzipped her backpack.<p>

"Oh yeah, before I forget." She pulled out a dark bundle, tossing it to me. "That would be less conspicuous than what you have now."

I shook the thing off and held it out in front of me. Smiling and huffing out a small chuckle, I slipped off my white hoodie and pulled on the worn navy blue jacket. Surprisingly, it fit well enough.

She threw a glance sideways at me, nodding in approval of the darker material. Slinging her bag on her shoulder, she continued walking, lighting the way with the flashlight she had in her hand.

"That was supposed to be a sort of bribe to help me convince you earlier." She admitted. "That is... if you didn't run away so quickly."

"Hey, it wasn't my fault those guys showed up." We kept walking between buildings and down side roads, towards the other end of town. "And what made you think a _jacket, _of all things, would get me to say yes?"

"I'm not exactly Richie Rich. That jacket was the best thing I could get." She grumbled.

Soon we reached an old apartment building, vines creeping up the brick walls.

"You have an _apartment_?" I asked incredulously. I thought she said she was alone _and_ tight on cash?

She rolled her eyes and huffed. "Don't be dense, Desmond." Walking towards the side of the building, she continued on to lead the way to the back.

"You know _my_ name, but I don't know yours." I was pretty annoyed that Matt had given away my name so early in the game. "I'd say it's only fair if you shared that little bit of info."

"Well... I have lot of names... You can call me whatever." Shrugging, she pulled down the ladder to the fire escape. The metal screeched, making me wince, looking around to check if the sound didn't catch any unwanted attention. When I looked back to her, she hoisted herself up the first few rungs already.

"Just don't call me _kid." _She spat out the last word, shaking her head before climbing up higher.

"You said you're _thirteen_... I don't really buy that." I followed her, calling up while I climbed. "You're too short." When I reached the top, I was met with glaring green eyes.

She put two hands over mine before she growled out, "Don't make me throw you off of this building." For a second, she almost looked like she would actually do it. Taking a few calming breaths, she pointed at me warningly, "Not after what I went through to make sure you didn't get caught."

Spinning around with a huff, she walked away, entering what I assumed was either a maintenance or storage room. "Do you know how _hard _it was to keep up with you and your friends?" I followed her in, and watched as she emptied her bag before stuffing various items in, continuing her little lecture. "The three of you moved like you're related to freaking _Spiderman_ or something."

I scoffed at the reference. She looked at me curiously for a moment, "Jumping over walls and fences, cutting turns, and vaulting over crate stacks like it was _nothing_."

She mumbled under her breath while she fixed her things and went through her supplies, looking like she was in her own world.

"Aha!" She yelled out, holding up what looked like a foil wrapped granola bar. Unwrapping it eagerly, and taking a bite, she let out a satisfied groan. She closed her eyes, chewing slowly as she took a few more bites. While she did that, I decided to take a seat on an old crate, leaning my head back against the cool concrete wall.

"Better hurry up, munchkin." I said a bit irritably. My body, especially the bruise that was forming on the back of my head were protesting the thought of moving again, but Matt and Cass would probably be closing in soon.

"We need to- _Hey_!" My hands flew up when she suddenly threw something at my face. I caught it and saw it was another one of those granola bars.

"_Enough_ with the baby names..." The kid said a bit tiredly, running a hand through her hair before looking down at her sneakers. "And... _Sorry_ about snapping at you earlier. An empty stomach and aching legs can really do shit to my cool." She sat across from me and pulled up her knees. "Have a bit of that before we start talking." She rested her chin on her kneecaps, and let out a long breath, eyes looking tired...

"I know you want to put some distance between you and this town as soon as possible, but we're both exhausted-"

"You mean _you're _exhausted." I stared at her. I was used to pushing my limits. My training at The Farm made sure of that. Running through half the town may have had me a bit worn out, but I still had enough energy to trek a few hours. "We need a good head start while those two are still looking wherever you pointed them to." That would definitely make me feel less anxious, what with Assassins on my trail. I was starting to regret the deal I made with this kid already.

She frowned, her eyes flaring. "I could've just _let_ those two _catch_ you." She hissed. "But I _didn't_."

"Don't think you're so high and mighty, kid. You might as well have let them! What with you slowing me down and keeping me here. I could be on my way to the outskirts of town right now, maybe even catching a ride." I felt exasperated and downright on edge. It almost felt like the two Assassins would slam the door open any minute. "Don't think _I_ need you as much as you need me."

The kid grit her teeth. "_Just_..." She took a deep breath before yelling out. "Just eat your _fucking_ granola bar!"

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><p>I knew emotions were running high right now, but this was <em>ridiculous<em>. I decided to munch on my own food while taking several more deep breaths through my nose while Desmond gaped at my outburst.

_Fucking jerk didn't even say thank you for his._

I grumbled, starting to cool down slightly. "Skipping town after almost getting caught is exactly what you would do." Folding my arms and trying to get my point across, I stared hard at him. "They would probably be expecting that." I munched at the last of my granola bar while my last sentence sunk into his skull. "We're both wired right now... but the best thing would be to wait out at least a few hours, maybe even tomorrow night before we get moving."

Taking a sip of water from a bottle in my hand, I let out another long breath. "_Look_, I want to get out of here as much as you do. But letting things settle a bit would be the smart thing to do."

He had taken a bite of food too, chewing a little frustratedly. "Wouldn't the _real_ smart thing to do be to make a run for it while they concentrate their search around town?"

Green met dark brown again in a tense staredown.

We had hit a wall here. Both of us had our points. _Both_ plans had their pros and cons.

But if we decided to rest for the night...

"You don't want to leave yet." Realization seemed to come over the guy's face. "Do you?"

I looked down at my hands, not giving him a verbal answer. Did I get attached to this town? _Maybe... _I guess I'd stayed here longer than anywhere else...

"Give me twenty minutes..." I mumbled, standing and marching over to my packed bag. I turned my back to him, switching my jacket for a thick, grey hoodie. "I'll meet you back here."

I walked out quickly, closing the door behind me before he could say anything else.

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><p>I made a more definite conclusion when I had a chance to really look around the kid's hideout.<p>

It looked lived in.

If it weren't for the old cleaning materials and broken appliances piled to one side, and the obvious run down state of the room in general, it would have looked almost _homey._

I went back to the seat I had on the wooden crate, leaning back again and just thinking over things.

From what I could tell, the kid had been at this for a while. She hadn't been lying about that, at least. Obviously she learned to survive... albeit _barely_. I still couldn't believe she'd given me a share of her supplies... Maybe I should've said 'thank you' at least for that... the jacket was a "bribe" so that didn't count.

_Why was I still waiting for her?_

Maybe having a little kid around would have its advantages. There were some things kids could definitely pull off that teenagers like me couldn't. Kids were always believable too. Some people could be really gullible when it came to kids. Maybe she could do that puppy dog face thing.

_Hmmmm..._

But there would definitely be setbacks. I couldn't take care of a kid! _A kid! A. **Kid**!_

Maybe she thought she could take of herself... but could _I _take care of her? She would become _my_ responsibility, whether she liked it or not... and I'd barely been able to take care of myself for **_two weeks_**!

_Ugh..._

My hands were pressing at my eyes, dragging over my face.

_What the hell was I even thinking?!_

My eyes wandered to the door barely a few feet from me.

When you think about it... I'd _never_ verbally agreed to a partnership.

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><p>I didn't go too far.<p>

There was a water tower close to the apartment, so that's where I went. It was where I went every time I had to think, and it had a nice view. The height didn't really bother me much- I actually found it exhilarating.

I climbed to the top and sat close to the edge. With one hand with a firm hold on the rail, I observed the lights of the town from high up. I committed the sight to memory, the chill of the air, the sounds...

This... _This _I would definitely miss. But I had made a deal. And that deal meant leaving this town... _'For now...' _I hoped. Maybe I could come back. One day...

All too soon, my twenty minutes were up, I was already pushing _thirty_ when I climbed down the tower, quickly making my way back to the apartment. I passed through several back alleys, just to make sure I didn't run into Desmond's two _"friends"_. Hopefully he wouldn't be _too_ mad that I'd taken longer than expected. I-

"So what's a little kid like you sneaking around here for?" A voice cut through the dark.

Three teenagers loitered at the end of the alley I'd turned to, holding a few cans of beer, caps and hoods were shadowing their faces. Two of them were smoking, and one was twirling a knife in his hand, looking at me strangely from underneath his hood.

_Crap._

I'd left my bag back at my place, and my army knife was in my other jacket pocket. I did my best to pull my own hood down to hide my face, not wanting any trouble. I could handle myself, but I didn't want to take the risk with three teens who were _twice_ my size.

"I'm just passing by..." I said, deepening the tone of my voice slightly. After a few tense moments, the three stayed quiet and unmoving, so I shuffled down the cramped space.

I was walking past, head down, almost through to the other side when I looked up. I was met with an angry glare, hands suddenly grabbing at my shoulders.

Pain shot through me when a fist collided with my abdomen. My arms crossed, my body curling to try and shield itself. It didn't help much when a knee to the stomach blasted the air out of my lungs. I tried to shrink away, feeling the cold of steel on my neck and cigarette smoke fanning over my face. The acrid smell made me cringe and cough.

"Don't think I forgot about you." The guy whispered menacingly, his fingers digging painfully into my shoulders. "_Nobody_ steals from me."

My hood was suddenly pulled back and my head was jerked painfully by the fist in my hair. I couldn't make out the guy's face with the tears that were forming in my eyes from the pain.

"Let go of me, bastard!" I managed to croak out.

"What the _hell_, dude?!" One of the teens yelled out. He seemed shocked by his companion's actions. "She's a _lil' girl_! Yo, even I know that's _messed_ up!"

I managed to elbow my captor in the stomach, making him let go, but causing his blade to nick my neck. I stumbled away frantically, a hand on the cut, about to make a run for it.

Unfortunately, the other guy seemed to have recognized me too, because he suddenly contributed a backhand to my face. "Well looky here." The blow made me stagger back, straight into a headlock. My first assailant made sure he had a better grip on me this time.

"I ain't stickin around, man. This is _fucked up_." The coward... he left me to get beaten up by his crazy friends.

"Get running, you _pussy_! We don't have time for weak asses like you, anyway!"

The bastards threw me roughly to the ground, throwing more kicks at my raised arms, my stomach, and my legs.

"Look at the little shit now." Another kick hit my ribs, making it hard to breath. "You're gonna pay us back for ev-"

There was a thud when a sudden alarmed shout echoed through the alley, hurried steps running away.

"What the _fuck_!-"

A body soon dropped close to mine, a groan sounding from it. A second one followed a few beats later.

_What was happening?_

I could make out a shadow looming over me. Instinctively, I curled up even tighter, fully expecting another hard kick.

"Hey! Hey... You okay?" I could barely make out the voice with the ringing in my ears.

"Des- Desmond?" I murmured hopefully, doing my best to squint through the moisture in my eyes.

"Those guys really did a number on you." He crouched to examine the red mark on my cheek, causing me to wince. I saw him shake his head. "Come on. Can you stand?"

I took a deep breath, my whole body protesting when I tried to push myself upright. I ended up curling into a ball again.

He sighed, slowly positioning me in his arms, one behind my shoulders, and the other behind my knees. I couldn't help the weak whimper that escaped me with the movement when he stood.

"Damn bastards." Desmond mumbled. I would have smiled at that if it weren't for my injuries.

The walk back to the apartment was short, but the warmth of another person helped soothe the pain that wracked most of my body.

I'd almost retreated into sleep when Desmond broke the silence.

"You were gone for almost an hour, pipsqueak."

I was too drained to get mad at him. I just sighed painfully, my ribs sore.

"Alena." I whispered. "Now stop with all the baby names."

I didn't know it then, but I'd unknowingly burrowed my nose in the fabric of Desmond's jacket, curling closer to his chest. God knows how he would keep teasing me about it later on.

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><p><strong>AN: Well, this is the first chapter for 2015. Hope I was able to kick it off with an enjoyable chapter. Review please. Grazie.**

**-NS**


	5. Chapter 4: Discovery

**CHAPTER 4: DISCOVERY**

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><p>WORD COUNT: 1,709<p>

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><p>The next thing I knew, I was leaning on something warm. A slow, swinging motion was lulling me back to sleep. I was tempted to give in to it with the pain that was still wracking most of my body, but I was wary of my situation.<p>

I opened my eyes slowly, seeing tall grass and a few trees pass by, hearing the crunch of dirt. Shifting my head slightly, I could see the stars twinkling. It was still dark, probably the middle of the night.

"You awake back there?"

The swinging stopped, and I realized I was piggybacking on...

"Desmond?" I was surprised. I heard him let out a long sigh.

"We had to get moving, and you were knocked out." He shrugged.

The teen readjusted his grip on me and was about to start walking again, when I started squirming on his back. My ribs were protesting, my entire body feeling the after effects of the beating I got, but I couldn't let Desmond carry me.

"What're you-"

His hands couldn't keep a proper hold with me shifting so much. I ended up sliding to my feet on the ground. A yelp and a whine escaped me from the jolt I received to my aching ribs, but I straightened as best as I could.

Desmond was frowning at me, "You shouldn't-"

I held up my hand. "_No_." I said as firmly as I could. "I appreciate the gesture. But I can walk."

"You took a real ass kicking, _literally_, barely two hours ago. I'm fine with carrying you." I noticed two bags hanging on his shoulder. I was pretty glad he decided to get mine before he decided to skip town. Still...

I held my hand out for my backpack. He looked incredulously at me, shaking his head.

"Desmond, you can't carry both me and our bags too. You'll wear out faster than you can say '_potato_'."

The teen smiled curiously. "_Potato?_" He repeated.

"I'm not a poet, okay?" I smiled back. I would have chuckled, but pain shot through my ribs. My arms instinctively wrapped around my stomach.

"See?" Desmond said, his frown returning. "Believe me when I say I'm used to pushing my limits. So don't be so bull-headed."

I growled, standing straighter once more, through the pain and discomfort. "And believe _me_ when I say I've had _worse_."

Stare downs were becoming a thing between us. Neither of us were the kind to give in.

"Damn, munchkin." Desmond ran a hand through his hair, exasperatedly. "I've already had a taste of how stubborn you can be. And if you want to walk, _fine. _But _I'm _holding on to your bag." He gave me a hard look.

We weren't going to get _anywhere_ if I commented on the baby-names, or kept on arguing my point. This was a compromise... So, "_Fine_." I frowned.

He crossed his arms, adding resolutely, "And if you hit the ground, I'm carrying you." Desmond readjusted the straps of both our bags, starting to walk again.

"F-Fine!" I shot back. "But don't get your hopes up." I grumbled, jogging a bit to catch up, my bruises protesting with each stride, but I did my best not to show it. I kept my mouth shut, determined not to stumble.

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><p>I noticed that Desmond was walking a bit slower, but I didn't mention it. It was another hit to my pride, and I bristled, knowing that I wouldn't have been able to keep up if he kept his previous brisk walking pace.<p>

_Damn short legs. _I just really hated being so small.

We continued walking in relative silence. I think Desmond had a sense that talking would only cause me to go out of breath, or put a strain on my ribs.

It was about an hour later, as we were going through rougher terrain, walking uphill when I fell to my knees... for the _fifth_ time.

"That's _it_!" Desmond frowned, reaching down for me.

"I can do it! Just let me catch my breath!" I hated how strained my voice was sounding right now.

"Either I'm carrying you, or I'm leaving you behind!" My companion glared.

"No!-"

"Don't be freaking stubborn, Alena! As much as I'd rather go _without_ the weight on my back, I really don't want to get caught by those _damned_ Assassins!"

_Assassins?_

Desmond seemed to realize what he said. We both froze.

He was being chased by _assassins?!_

_Holy crap_... Did I just make the most _shit_ decision of my life?

"Why the hell are _assassins _after you?" I looked at my companion, wide eyed. I pulled away from him roughly, stepping back.

Was he the son of some crooked politician? Related to the mob? Was he a gangster?

Did he commit some kind of crime?

"What did you do?!"

All kinds of possibilities were running through my head.

Theft? Fraud?

_Oh my god. _Was he involved with drugs?!

Panic went through me for the first time in almost a year.

"Don't tell me you're working with Jaime Rosa!" I stepped back even more. The name dug up painful memories.

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><p>"I have no idea who you're even talking about!" Dammit... Stupid Assassins... Now I had to deal with <em>this<em>.

I was shocked to see fear in Alena's eyes. I figured she was the kind of person that would hide it. Even when she had gotten a beat down by those thugs, and thought I was one of them, there was only one thing her aura gave off, even through watery eyes. Defiance.

"It's just a name we call ourselves." I held my hands up as calmly, and as non-threateningly as possible, trying to explain. "The group I escaped from-" Using the words _"run away" _made me feel like I'd been a coward for leaving the Farm behind. I shook the thought from my head and continued, "We call ourselves, the _Assassins._"

Most of the fear bled away, replaced by suspicion. She stared at me, thinking hard.

"Do you kill people?" She asked plainly.

Straight and to the point.

What the _hell _could I say to that? _Assassins _were still... well... assassins. Though over time, the group grew to include more than just skilled killers. The physical training was still mandatory for almost everyone in the Brotherhood though.

"I've been training since I was a kid... But I've never been on an assignment before." I dodged the question, but I think she still got her answer.

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><p>"Trained..." Well <em>that <em>answered a few things on my mind. Like how and why Desmond and his friends were so stealthy and could jump walls and dodge crates like trophy horses jumped an obstacle course.

He'd run away though. He'd turned his back on these so called "Assassins". I'd never heard of them though. They must've been a helluva secretive group. And people who kept to that kind of secrecy...

"Why'd you run away?" I asked. I had a guess though...

"Freedom." Desmond said simply, confirming what I thought. "I couldn't stay locked up and isolated while I knew that there was a whole world outside of The Farm. Outside of all the training, all the conspiracies... the expectations."

I nodded at that. Freedom was the reason most kids became runaways...

"Okay..." I said slowly, relaxing a bit.

""_Okay"?" _Desmond was looking at me incredulously. "You find out that I'm being tracked down by _Assassins_, that I'm trained to be a killer... and all you can say is "_okay"_?" He gaped.

"I can't really judge where you came from." I shrugged. "And If there's one rue that runaways have- that's not to question one another's pasts. If we did where would we be now?"

I guess that reason was enough for him. Well, I really hoped so... It was what made sense to me. It was what I believed anyway...

"But if you want me to be bitchy about it, I can do that to." I grinned mischievously.

Desmond paled a bit, shaking his head. He probably didn't want to be dealing with me being whiny. Oh, he didn't see me being whiny yet... And he most definitely didn't want to see it _now_.

"Anyway... What's important is what you decide to do _now_. That's all that matters." He could have killed the damned _president _for all that I cared. So long as he kept to our deal, I didn't care about much else.

"Okay..." He finally said, just as slowly as I did at first.

I chuckled, wincing slightly. "Okay."

"Does this mean I get to know _your_ back story too?" Desmond looked at me slyly.

I shrugged again. "Well, there's not much to tell. My mom's dead and my dad's a complete asshole. I didn't like my living situation, hence, my running away. Simple. Classic."

My companion raised an eyebrow.

I copied his expression. "What were you expecting?" A princess running away from her horrible stepmother?"

Desmond scoffed. "Yeah sure, Cinderella. Now be a princess and let me carry you before the evil stepsisters catch us and turn you into a pumpkin."

I growled, irritated with his choice of nicknames. But I guess it was my fault. I was the one who gave him the idea anyway.

I didn't like feeling helpless- being carried around like I couldn't walk (Which I honestly couldn't do without falling face first into the dirt within the next fifteen minutes)... But I grudgingly let Desmond do what he wanted, putting me on his back. He'd told me _his_ story after all.

I may not have believed it completely... But the idea of these "Assassins" had me interested. Was he _really_ an assassin? And if they just _called _themselves "Assassins" but weren't all assassins, what did these supposed "Assassins" _do_? What did they train for? What was their purpose?

If Desmond was telling the truth, I'd have more questions to ask.

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><p><strong>AN: Not much happening in this chapter, a bit of a filler really. I have several ideas for chapters in this story, however, I need more ideas. So if there's anything you'd like to see happening in this story, I'm open to suggestions and prompts. I just realized that 10 years is a lot to cover (even with time skips) before the Assassin's Creed games start.**

**Thanks so much again to everyone who read, alerted, favorited, and reviewed.**

**Shout-out to Pyro who has been a loyal reader and reviewer since this story started. :D Thanks so much for your support!**

**-NS**


	6. Chapter 5: Disguise

**A/N: It'll mostly be sort of one shots till the game plot comes into play. There'll still be a bit of plot and character development till then. After all, the whole purpose of this story is to explore Desmond's past before Abstergo kidnaps him. Anyway, I won't keep you. Here we go.**

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 5: DISGUISE<strong>

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><p>WORD COUNT: 1,952<p>

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><p>It had been a few weeks since that night, and we traveled for most of it. After learning a little more about who was after me, Alena and I both agreed that we couldn't stay in one place for more than a few days.<p>

Easier said than done though.

She'd still been injured. Her ribs were bruised, at the very least. Maybe cracked, but at least I knew enough to know that they weren't broken. Thank god! (Whoever god was there to accept my thanks. It would have been so much more complicated if she had a broken rib.) So, our travel had been slow going.

You had to hitch a ride to _really _get somewhere, but those "good Samaritans" that everyone keeps talking about? They were few and far between. Some people were straight up assholes. We ended up having to walk for most of it, and that didn't help with Alena's recovery.

I would have suggested we stay at least a week when we found somewhere, but the encounter with Matt and Cass was still fresh in my mind. I'm guessing it was in hers too, because she insisted that two or three days was _more _than enough for her to recuperate before we got moving again.

"So..." Alena winced, taking a slow, deep, breath before continuing. "What is it you "Assassins" do, anyway?" I could hear the quotation marks in her voice.

She'd made it a habit, asking a lot of questions- especially about the Brotherhood. I don't think she fully believed me back then, though.

"Hmmm..." I paused for a little dramatic effect. What? Alena was still a kid whether she liked it or not, and telling kids stories before bed (or sleeping... whatever) made me sort of shift into the role of dramatic storyteller. "Well, the saying goes that the _Assassins_ protect the freedom of the people. The Brotherhood fights against its sworn enemies- the Templar Knights- to keep them from gaining control of the world." I explained what had been constantly drilled into every _Assassin _since the war against the Templars started.

Assassins - good guys.

Templars - evil asses.

Simple as that.

"Really? That sounds so noble... And _backwards." _Alena smiled. She would have laughed, but I'm thinking her ribs were really bothering her that night. "Knights are supposed to save the damsels in distress, they're supposed to be the good guys. Assassins on the other hand are supposed to be just ruthless hired killers who only do what they want for their own benefit."

"I think I told you that I've never been on an assignment yet. So I can't really say. Assassins wanting peace through freedom, and the Templar order wanting peace through control. It's all just theory. Conspiracies. I've _never _even _heard _of any present Templar activity while I was still at The Farm." I shrugged. It didn't really bother me, telling her about the Assassins and Templars. Like I said, it was all just _crazy_ theories. Probably stories to scare us into training.

"So it's all just history then? You "Assassins" must be having a really hard time letting go of the past."

"Pretty much." I nodded. "Why do you think I wanted to get away in the first place?"

"Point." She concluded, scooching a bit closer. We hadn't been so lucky this time when we were looking for some place to stay the night. We didn't find an abandoned building, and they ran out of room at the local halfway shelter.

"You sure you don't need a cuddle, princess?" I teased, remembering how she'd curled up like a puppy the first time I'd carried her.

She pouted. "Shut up, asshole." Ha. She really wasn't some sugary sweet kid. And she couldn't be a princess with _that_ kind of mouth. Her grumbling didn't stop her from moving closer though. "You're benefiting from my "cuddles" too, so don't be a jerk about it."

We settled down in an alley for the night. Alena was just about to doze off when I caught a familiar sight across the road.

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><p>"I was about to fall asleep too." I groaned, watching the two figures walk down the sidewalk. "Why do they have to be so <em>freaking <em>persistent?"

Desmond and I were both watching from the relative safety of a rooftop now. I glared at Slick and Braids as they continued down the block. I was tired, and in pain. I really, _really _didn't like those two right now, even if I _did_ sort of admire their persistence.

"Well... They _are _Assassins. They were trained to be that way." Desmond shrugged.

"Yeah, and we're Batman and Robin." I snarked. I usually rolled with the guy's stories for fun, but I was a grump right now. I took a deep breath when Desmond gave me a look. "Okaaay... I'm lucky that I have an "Assassin" on my side then."

If those two were here, we'd have to move tonight instead of two days from now. _Damn it. _I'd had a job set up for tomorrow!

"We'll get moving once they move away one more block. There's enough people on the street to keep their attention off of us. Just stay low key." Desmond observed the street below, meanwhile, my ribs decided to give another jolt of pain when I breathed in. I winced and my companion noticed. He sighed.

"I know you think you can bear the pain, and that we're kind of short on painkillers right now, but you'll need to take one or two. We'll be moving for the next couple of hours."

"Fine." I grunted, pulling out a small bottle of aspirin and taking out two pills. I frowned as I swallowed them dry. "Maybe we ought to be changing our appearances too if we really want to shake them off."

Desmond stared at me. "And how do you suggest we do that?"

I simply grinned at him.

* * *

><p>"You have <em>got<em> to be kidding." Desmond gaped at me. "You don't have cash for painkillers, but you have enough for these?" He held up a box that had the picture of a brunette, and a plastic bag that had a few foil packets and a plastic tube. I'd gotten the stuff at the Wallgreens that happened to be at the town we were at previously before we left.

It was now probably two in the morning, and we were locked up in a gasoline station bathroom. I looked up from what I was doing, taping a razor blade to one side of a comb.

"I can deal with a few weeks in pain, but you've really made an impression on me with your stories. Those conspiracy nuts after you obviously have sticks up their asses, and I don't think I'd like to get caught by those people. Maybe I want to avoid them as much as _you_ do now." Desmond laughed at how I described his former faction. I grinned, examining the razor, making it was securely stuck to the comb before setting it down on the counter beside the sink.

"Okay, you'll have to do this." I took out my swiss army knife and flipped out the blade. Running my hands several times through my hair, I held it out away from my back while I handed Desmond the knife handle first.

"Whoah... Slow down! Are you sure about this?" Desmond said, holding up his hands as though touching my hair would burn him. "It's gonna be a while before it gets back to this length."

"Desmond. It's hair. It'll grow back." I rolled my eyes at him. I wasn't the kind to really give much thought about looks. I honestly never had the luxury.

"Okay then. If you're sure." He didn't seem completely convinced, but he took the blade anyway, standing behind me and taking my hair.

"I'm sure." I said simply. "Now cut it to just below my ears."

"Seriously?!" I could see Desmond's wide eyes stare at me from the reflection of the mirror.

"Yes! Just do it!" I said exasperated as I watched him slowly bring the knife closer to my hair. Soon enough...

_Shhhhck!_

Well... My head felt significantly lighter.

"Ugh..." Desmond shuddered, dumping the blonde locks in the trash bin. "Well you look like a mess." He said bluntly, looking at the very, _very_ rough impromptu haircut.

"What do you think this is for?" I said, rolling my eyes again as I held up the razor-comb combination.

"O-kay." Desmond said a bit unsurely.

I ran the comb through my hair, the razor cutting through the most unruly and untidy looking knots of hair. After a few minutes, my hair looked acceptable enough, and I _absolutely_ looked like a boy.

"So what should I call, you now? Alex?" Desmond grinned, chuckling. "Nice job, Als." I grinned back. Of course I'd done a good job. I had to learn to drastically change my appearance if I wanted to survive.

"Thanks." I said, my grin turning somewhat mischievous. "Now it's _your_ turn." I said slyly, slipping on a pair of disposable plastic gloves and holding up a packet of hair bleach. Desmond paled, and I laughed despite the pain.

"Oh shit."

* * *

><p><strong>An hour or so later...<strong>

"Fuck. This looks _so_ gay." Desmond was staring at his reflection in the mirror with a frown on his face. He now had honey blond hair. I scowled at him.

"_Platinum_ blonde hair would have been gay, don't be a baby. Those "Assassins" are going to have a hard time recognizing you now. That's what's important." I said, looking at my own hair that was now a dark brown. "Opposite colors were the way to go if we _really_ wanted the full effect. 'Sides, your hair will look better when it dries off a bit." I tried to console him.

"Next time, I get to pick _your_ hair color." He replied, still a little bitter.

"Sure sure." I cleaned up the mess, rinsing the sink, and keeping what was left of the bleach and dye, just in case we decided we needed a touch up later on. "Ugh..." I groaned as I noted the dye stains on my forehead, close to my hairline. I dampened some tissue and started scrubbing at the stains. I was getting frustrated trying to scrub away the stain because the tissue was ripping, and my new hair kept getting in the way. Unlike when my hair was long, a hair elastic would have done he trick, but my hair was too short for that now. The dark strands kept flipping out of my grip between my fingers.

"Here. Just hold your hair up." Desmond said, sighing. I think he was anxious to work off some of his frustrations with a little more hiking. He ran the end of his jacket sleeve under the tap, dampening it.

"Owwww..." I said as I used both hands to keep my hair back while Des worked on the stain. I was pretty sure my forehead was turning red from getting rubbed raw. Maybe some of Desmond's frustration was bleeding through.

"Don't be a baby." Desmond grinned, throwing my words back at me. Oh I see... He was doing this intentionally. I'll get him back one way or another. Maybe I _would _use more bleach next time and he'd end up with platinum blonde hair.

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><p><strong>AN: FYI, I have nothing against homosexuality, I hope I haven't offended anybody. Not the longest chapter, but I hope this was still enjoyable.**

**Heads up, updates will be coming a bit slower. I got kinda sick this week and spent a few days in the hospital. Now 15-20 minutes is the maximum I can spend in front of the computer, I easily get dizzy and nauseated. Please be patient with me. I still hope that chapters won't be too delayed, cuz I know how a lot of you don't like waiting too long. XD**

**Question- Do you guys think I should make a tumblr account for my fics?**

**Till next time.**

**-NS**


	7. Chapter 6: We'll See

**A/N: Another chapter. Felt a bit bad that I didn't get any reviews for the last one... But oh well. Thanks anyway to everybody who read, alerted, and added this story to their favorites. Here we go!**

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 6: WE'LL SEE<strong>

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><p>WORD COUNT: 2,761<p>

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><p>"Hey, Dex! There's one more load of boxes out back." A middle aged man holding a clipboard gestured out the door.<p>

It took a moment before the young man he was talking to replied. "Yeah... Sure." Desmond was pretty glad that the nickname was so close to his own. After their little game of "salon", he and Alena had taken on aliases. _Duh._

Dexter and Alex Cole. Brothers.

Desmond's first name suggestion for the girl had stuck. One other reason they'd chosen the names was so they could still use nicknames that wouldn't be confusing. Desmond could still call Alena "Als" or just "Al", and she could still call him "Des" without too much suspicion.

He heaved two large boxes into the storage room, wiping the sweat that was coating his forehead and dripping into his eyes.

So far, this was the kind of job that he kept landing wherever he and Alena ended up. Menial labor and heavy lifting.

Well... That was what they got for moving almost every week.

For the past two and a half months, they'd still had a few close calls with the Assassins, but his kid companion's choice of disguises _did _throw them off, even if he did call his currently honey locks "gay".

He ran a hand through his hair. It was long enough to be considered somewhat shaggy now, as compared to the short buzz cut that his dad required he maintain back at the Farm. As a result, Alena had to do another bleaching session just a few days ago when his hair started to look kinda ridiculous half dark and half blonde.

He still didn't like the pipsqueak's choice of hair color, but he admit, it did a _pretty_ good job. They'd avoided any run ins with the Brotherhood. Assassin sightings lessened enough for the two to stay put for a whole week, sometimes even a few days more, before they had to change locations again.

The disguise threw off their pursuers, so he learnt to deal with his qualms. That didn't mean he wouldn't complain every once in a while though.

Letting out a breath, Desmond leant on one of the boxes, checking his watch. Almost eight pm.

He grabbed his backpack before making his way to the back office of the store, knocking on the glass to catch the manager's attention.

"Right..." The middle-aged man absently held out a brown envelope, before turning his focus back to the conversation on his phone.

"No. The orange chicken. How much is that again?"

* * *

><p>"So how are the ribs? No pain?" Desmond asked as he slumped onto the bed we were really lucky to snag at the shelter. Basically, it provided people like us dinner and somewhere to sleep for the night. The teen arrived too late for the food part though. He kicked off his shoes and stretched out as he lay down, while I moved to give way to his legs. I sat, leaning against the wall as I looked at him, annoyed.<p>

"Des... It's been three months! It takes just three to six weeks for bruised ribs to completely heal." I whispered, mindful of the people who were sleeping around us. It was a good thing we got a bed at the edge of the sleeping area. "Besides _mowing a lawn_ isn't stressful!" I reasoned out.

Desmond just glanced sideways at me. "How much did you get, munchkin?"

I rolled my eyes. "Shut up, assassin." I punched at his shoulder, huffing. "I got thirty. Two lawns."

I frowned and looked around at the dark room. The only source of illumination came from the windows that let in the light from streetlamps outside.

"That second one was worth at least thirty on its own though." I folded my arms. "The bimbo of an owner let me do a bit of gardening."

"No tip, huh?" Desmond chuckled, closing his eyes as he shifted to get comfortable.

I growled. "_No. _And the way she kept calling me a _cutie pie... Ugh_!" I groaned. "I thought she'd rip off my cheeks with all the god dang pinching! They still _sting_!-"

"Hey! Some people are trying to _sleep _here!" A voice broke through the darkness and relative silence.

I stayed silent for a few minutes, even if the idiot had been contradictory with _shouting_ his statement. Soon, Desmond's breathing evened out and slowed, a few soft snores escaping him. He was asleep... _Of course..._

I took his bag, which he'd carelessly thrown onto the bed when he'd arrived, securing it with my own in the space between the headboard and the wall.

You could never be too careful. Especially in these kinds of places. Everybody was dealing with the short end of the stick. A lot of people were desperate. And people did stupid things when they were desperate.

I tried to push Desmond to one side of the mattress so I could get enough space to at least lie on my side. "Move your sweaty ass over." I wrinkled my nose. He obviously didn't get to shower after his job. "I need to sleep too."

He grunted, his eyes staying closed, but turning to give me room.

I nodded, pulling the thin blanket that was on the bed over him. It was too small to cover us both, as was usually the case when we went to places that offered beds like this. I'd taken to using one of Desmond's jackets as a blanket during these situations, curling into a tight ball to tuck most of myself under the fabric. He was pretty annoyed with it at first, especially if I ended up drooling a bit on the hood or sleeve.

I lay down, facing the wall with Desmond's white jacket draped over me, and with my back sticking to his on the narrow bed. He'd need to wake up early if he wanted to be able to take advantage of this place's facilities to wash up before we had to leave.

"Night, princess." He yawned.

"Whatever, assassin." I grunted, closing my eyes, already half asleep.

* * *

><p>"That fat bastard shortchanged me!" Desmond spat the next day as we sat on a park bench, going over our supplies for our next move. He'd been counting the money he had received from his paycheck the day before, and found it twenty seven dollars and eighteen cents lacking.<p>

"You should have checked before you left the damn store." I sighed. We needed all the money we could get right now.

He stared for a few moments at the wrinkled brown envelope in his hand, thinking. It was a few moments later when he nodded and stashed the money in his bag. He looked to me, a determined expression on his face.

"Wanna try being an Assassin before we leave tonight?"

I looked at him, interested. "You thinking of getting what's left of your pay?" I liked the idea.

"We'll see who can get to the store's office faster." He smirked.

I returned the expression.

"We'll see who's better then, "_Assassin_"."

* * *

><p>So, like Desmond suggested, we waited in front of "Gary's Mini Grocery" that night, waiting for the Gary guy to lock up. It was around nine when we saw the large, middle aged man exit the alley beside the store. Des said that there was an entrance at the back of the building, and that the office was past the storage area, to the right. He gave me a few directions to even out the playing field a bit. He had the advantage of being familiar with the place, after all.<p>

When we were sure the street was deserted, Desmond glanced at me. "Okay... Three, two..." He held up one finger, before giving the "go" signal.

We both darted quietly across the street, going into the alley we'd seen the store owner leave five minutes ago. The" Assassin" ran several paces ahead of me, turning a corner, toward the back of the building. He was probably going for the door at the loading area.

I decided to take a different route, spotting a small window a little high up on the wall.

I smirked.

Des wouldn't have been able to fit through that.

I jogged up to the trash bin that was leaning against the wall. I'd have to slide it over a little bit so it would be close enough to the window.

Climbing up the bin, and pushing the window open, I peeked in.

_God_... It smelled like shit in here. Which probably made sense because someone had obviously dropped one hell of a bomb in the porcelain throne.

I shimmied through the opening, and resisted the urge to gag when the stench engulfed me. There was a pipe on the wall, so I used that to pull myself all the way through. I hung on it for a second before putting my feet on the tank of the toilet.

I cringed at the sight of what was in it, using my foot to nudge the seat closed.

Hopping down, I got out of that stink hole and closed the door, gulping in a few breaths of air.

Looking around me, I realized I was in the store. _Dammit... _I was hoping that I'd been in an employee's restroom or something.

I made my way to the counter. There was a door blocking my way to the back. I groaned when I jiggled the knob and found out it was locked. I dug through my pockets, bringing out the rectangular plastic card I had stashed for this.

* * *

><p>Rounding the corner, I had slow down and duck behind a few crates. There was an employee standing by the back door, my way in, doing something on his phone. It was just my luck that he wasn't one of those I knew, and it looked like he was just locking up, putting the key in his jacket pocket. It would have been <em>so <em>easy to say that I was an employee too, and that I'd forgotten something back inside.

Hmmm...

I went back to the entrance of the alley and waited, pulling up my hood when I heard the sound of footsteps.

Soon enough, the employee exited the alley, and I bumped right into him.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" The guy grouched.

I just put my hands up and turned, walking away, opposite of where the other guy was headed.

When he walked far enough away, I dashed back into the alley, to the back, pulling out the key I'd just snatched from the unsuspecting employee.

"Hah! I got here first! Take that, assassin!" Alena had a wide grin on her face as she pumped her fist victoriously.

"Yeah. Yeah." I grumbled. I couldn't believe she beat me! We were standing in front of the manager's office now.

"So who gets a good at the door?" She asked, still grinning, holding up an old ID card.

"If you're so sure of yourself, do it then." I admit I grumped. Especially when Alena got the door open in under thirty seconds. She looked at me smugly before she practically skipped in.

"We're just getting what's left of my paycheck. No more." I told her firmly as I followed, going around the office desk in the middle of the room.

She stared disbelievingly at that, her jaw dropping.

"The guy was a _douche_! He'd agreed to seventy dollars in the first place! And we need cash!" She hissed.

I shook my head. Maybe I hadn't been at this long enough. Maybe it was the sense of honor that the Assassin's Creed had hammered into me. I stuck to my decision. "No more." I repeated seriously.

Alena glared, mumbling and grumbling with her arms crossed while I went through the desk drawers, finding Gary's lockbox in the bottom left drawer. Fortunately, it wasn't locked. I got my money and put the box back, closing the drawer.

Als still had a sour look on her face when I closed the office door behind us. We made our way out, with her trailing behind me- through the storage area, and out the back door.

I put the key to the backdoor on the ground. Not too much in the open, but easy to find if you were looking for it.

I made sure there weren't any people around when we crossed the street into the alley opposite of the store. We'd left our stuff hidden behind some cardboard boxes there.

"Okay, time to go. Where to, kiddo?" I thought about which state we'd end up in this time. Most of the time, we just winged it while we travelled. We never really had a specific destination in mind. "Are we hitchhiking? Or are-"

It hit me that Alena wasn't behind me.

"Alena?" I looked around. She wasn't sulking anywhere in the alley. "Als?"

I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. I was about to go back to the store, when, speak of the devil, she came jogging across the street.

"What's that?" I stared hard at the lumpy fold on the front of her jacket behind her crossed arms.

She rolled her eyes. "The guy deserves it for trying to fool you like that after you had an _agreement_." Als waved one hand before stashing the things she'd snagged in her backpack. "And don't get your boxers in a twist! I didn't take more than twenty dollars worth of stuff."

I let out a long groan. I couldn't really argue with her, though. Even if the cash I'd just taken was _technically_ mine, I'd stolen it. So I couldn't get mad at Als for taking a few things.

"Come on, kid. Lets grab some food before we go." I said, changing the subject. She grinned, knowing that she'd won this argument before it even started.

* * *

><p>"All this moving around is becoming a hassle. It'd be nice to actually settle in one place."<p>

"I guess I'm kinda used to it." Alena shrugged, taking another bite of her spaghetti. We never really had much real food unless we were about to set out. We needed the energy to hike for several hours when we weren't able to hitch a ride, which was most of the time. Plus, we were still trying to avoid taking buses, in case the Assassins were checking those. "But winter _is _coming fast, so we'll have to find a place to stay soon. Hopping places _won't _be an option. So you might just get your wish." She had a concentrated look on her face as she stabbed at her noodles.

Yes... _"Stabbed". _She went at it like the meatballs did something to make her mad.

"It's your _buddies _that I'm worried about though... I feel like they'll find us once we stay too long in one place." She growled, skewering one meatball, she stared hard at it.

"Even I didn't know they'd be this relentless. We've practically been giving them one _hell _of a chase cross country. I thought they'd give up after a month at most."

"What if... We don't?" Alena suddenly mumbled.

"What?" I was confused. "What do you mean?"

"I mean... We've been sticking to small towns the whole time..." She looked at me across the table. The noodle on her chin was distracting though.

"Are you suggesting we go into the city?" _The city... _I thought about that...

"I haven't been back to one since I first ran away. It was too hard for me... But maybe..." She looked at me.

"Hide in plain sight..." I muttered. Als smiled, hearing the tenet of the Creed. She probably found it ironic how those lessons at the Farm were what were keeping us from getting caught by the Brotherhood.

"We'd just blend with the crowds. There are too many people in the city for those Assassins to find us."

We looked at each other then, exchanging nods. I think we were both thinking about the same place.

What was the busiest city in the U.S.? Looks like we were going to New York.

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><p><strong>AN: So how was it? I'd like to know what you think so far. And I'm also open to prompts and suggestions if there's something in particular to see happen in this story. Grazie.  
><strong>

**Till next time.**

**-NS**


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